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July 2008
Vol 5 No 7
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Teachers.Net Gazette Vol.5 No.7 July 2008

Cover Story by Sue Gruber
It’s Summer…Time to Shift Gears and Re-energize!
A lighthearted perspective on what summer break can and should be.


Harry & Rosemary Wong: Effective Teaching
Eight Year Summary of Articles

Columns
»To Tell the TruthLeah Davies
»Discipline Without Stress, Inc.Marvin Marshall
»Teaching through Summer TV ViewingCheryl Sigmon
»A New Unified Field TheoryTodd R. Nelson
»The Busy Educator's Monthly FiveMarjan Glavac
»Get the Most Out of Being MentoredHal Portner
»Dear Barbara - Advice for SubsBarbara Pressman
»Keyboarding: Some Assembly RequiredRob Reilly

Articles
»Who’s Cheating Whom?
»Dealing with Dishonesty
»How To Prevent Cheating in Middle and High School
»When Is Student Failure The Teacher’s Fault
»Frogs Predict Massive Chinese Quake of 2008
»July 2008 Writing Prompts
»What Are We Doing? And Why Are We Doing It?
»"Boys Read" Effort Aims to Turn Boys Into Readers
»A Teaching Guide for Summer Song
»12 Test Taking Strategies that Boost Student Scores!
»Gardner-Style Lesson Plan: Molecular Basis of Heredity
»Federal Government Resources for Educators
»You Be the Chemist Activity Guides

Features
»Cheaters! Teachers talk about their experiences
»Printable Worksheets & Teaching Aids
»Candles of Inspiration: July 2008
»Lessons, Resources and Theme Activities: July 2008
»Video Bytes: The "Impotence" of Proofreading and More
»Today Is... Daily Commemoration for July 2008
»Live on Teachers.Net: July 2008
»The Lighter Side of Teaching
»Apple Seeds: Inspiring Quotes for Teachers
»Using Test "Cheat Sheets" To Enhance Student Learning
»"Those Who Can, Do; Those Who Can't, Teach"
»Newsdesk: Events & Opportunities for Teachers


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Effective Teaching by Harry & Rosemary Wong

Contributors this month: Alfie Kohn, Marvin Marshall, Cheryl Sigmon, Marjan Glavac, Todd R. Nelson, Hal Portner, Leah Davies, Barbara Pressman, Tim Newlin, James Wayne, Alan Haskvitz, Bill Page, Susan Fitzell, Meryl D. Joseph, John Martin, Barb Stutesman, Ron Victoria, L. Swilley, and YENDOR.

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Marvin Marshall

Promoting Discipline & Learning
Archive | Biography | Resources | Discussion

Discipline Without Stress, Inc., A Nonprofit Public Charitable Organization Assists Low Economic Schools

Author Marshall's charity to assist needy schools with implementation of Discipline Without Stress Teaching Model.
by Dr. Marvin Marshall
www.MarvinMarshall.com
Regular contributor to the Gazette
July 1, 2008

In order to reduce school dropouts while increasing student achievement, a nonprofit public charitable organization has been created to implement the DISCIPLINE WITHOUT STRESS TEACHING MODEL. Any public urban, suburban, or rural elementary, intermediate/junior/middle school, or high school in the U.S.A. in a low economic area can apply.

Learning requires motivation, but motivation to learn cannot be forced. Highly effective teachers realize this, so they prompt students to want to put forth effort in their learning by creating curiosity, challenge, and interest in meaningful lessons. In addition—and especially with youth in poverty—these successful teachers also create positive relationships with their students by practicing positivity, choice, and reflection. These practices are part of the teaching model.

If the school staff desires to implement the model, the school will receive free books describing the teaching model and free staff development assistance to implement the model.

This teaching model avoids approaches that inhibit motivation for responsibility and learning. Following are ten examples commonly used in schools today that are so counterproductive that they exacerbate the increasing dropout rate of schools today—especially in urban areas.

1. Being reactive
Teachers too often become stressed by reacting to inappropriate behavior. It is far more effective to employ a proactive approach at the outset to inspire students to want to behave responsibly and then use a non-adversarial response whenever they do not.

2. Reliance on rules
Rules are meant to control, not inspire. Rules are necessary in games but when used between people, enforcement of rules automatically creates adversarial relationships. A more effective approach is to teach procedures and inspire responsible behavior through expectations and reflection. See Rules.

3. Aiming at obedience
Obedience does not create desire. A more effective approach is to promote responsibility; obedience then follows as a natural by-product.

4. Creating negatives
The brain thinks in pictures, not in words. When people tell others what NOT to do, the "don't" is what the brain images. Example: "Don't look at your neighbor's paper!" Always communicate in positive terms of what you DO want. Example: Keep your eyes on your own paper.

5. Alienating students
Even the poorest salesperson knows not to alienate a customer, but teachers too often talk to students in ways that prompt negative feelings. Negative feelings stop any desire of students to do what the teacher would like them to do. People do "good" when they feel "good," not when they feel bad.

6. Confusing classroom management with discipline
Classroom management is the teacher's responsibility and has to do with teaching, practicing, and reinforcing procedures. Discipline, in contrast, is the student's responsibility and has to do with self-control. Having clarity between these the two is necessary for both preventing and solving problems. See Classroom Management.

7. Assuming
Too often, teachers assume students know how to do what is expected of them. A more effective approach is (a) teaching expectations and procedures, (b) having the students practice, (c) having students visualize the process, and later (d) reinforcing the procedure by having them practice again. This process is necessary in order to have students be successful in performing the activity.

8. Employing coercion
This approach is least effective in changing behavior. Although teachers can control students temporarily, teachers cannot change students. PEOPLE CHANGE THEMSELVES, and the most effective approach for actuating students to change is to eliminate coercion. NOTE: Noncoercion is not to be confused with permissiveness or not using authority.

9. Imposing consequences
Although consistency is important, imposing the same consequence on all students is the least fair approach. When a consequence is imposed, be it called "logical" or "natural," students are deprived of ownership in the decision. A more effective and fairer approach is to ELICIT a CONSEQUENCE or a PROCEDURE TO REDIRECT IMPULSES that will help each student become more responsible. This can easily be accomplished by asking people if they would rather be treated as a group or as individuals. They will readily have a preference to be treated as individuals and have ownership in the decision that will help them, rather than hurt them.

10. Relying on external approaches
We want to assist young people to be self-disciplined and responsible. Both traits require internal motivation, but rewarding behavior and imposing punishments are external approaches. They also place the responsibility on someone else to instigate a change and, thereby, fail the critical test: How effective are they when no one is around?See External Approaches. The greatest reward comes from the self-satisfaction of one's efforts. In addition, by rewarding kids with something they value (candy, stickers, prizes), we simply reinforce their childish values when what we really hope to do is to teach them about values that will last a lifetime.

In contrast to these counterproductive approaches, the Discipline Without Stress Teaching Model uses approaches that eliminate counterwill, the natural response to coercion.

Copyright © 2008 Marvin Marshall.

Additional information is available at www.MarvinMarshall.com



» More Gazette articles...




About Marvin Marshall...

His approach is the only system that is proactive, totally noncoercive, and does not use external manipulatives or threats. He INDUCES students to WANT to act responsibly and WANT to put forth effort to learn.

His book, "Discipline without Stress® Punishments or Rewards - How Teachers and Parents Promote Responsibility & Learning" is used in schools, universities, and homes around the world. The book clearly and concisely demonstrates how external approaches of relying on rules, imposing consequences, rewarding students for appropriate behavior, and punishing students to make them obey are all counterproductive. His approach reduces stress and is more effective than traditional approaches that focus on obedience because obedience does not create desire.

A prime reason that the approach is the fastest growing discipline and learning system in the country and is taught in so many universities is that it teaches students to understand differences between internal and external motivation. A second reason is that the focus is on promoting responsibility; obedience then follows as a natural by-product. A third reason is that the system separates the deed from the doer, the act from the actor, a good kid from irresponsible behavior, thereby eliminating the natural tendency for a student to self-defend.

Dr. Marshall gives permission to download and reproduce anything from his websites as long as www.MarvinMarshall.com is included. Visit his teaching model at http://www.marvinmarshall.com/in-housedetails.html.

He offers the following resources to learn and support his approach:

http://www.marvinmarshall.com This is the foundational site that links to the teaching model, shares how a school can conduct its own in-house staff development, and contains free information for implementation. For a quick understanding of his approach, link to "THE HIERARCHY" and "IMPULSE MANAGEMENT."

http://www.disciplinewithoutstress.com This is the website for the best-selling book on discipline and learning. Three sections of the book are online: Classroom Meetings, Collaboration for Quality Learning, and Reducing Perfectionism.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DisciplineWithoutStress.com is used to post questions, share ideas, and give assistance.

http://www.DisciplineAnswers.com has a compilation of previously asked and posted answers categorized from the above Yahoo site.

http://www.AboutDiscipline.com explains reasons that external approaches - such as rewarding appropriate behavior, telling students what to do, and punishing them if they don’t - are not used to promote responsible behavior.

http://disciplineforsmartpeople.com This web log (blog) contains short posts to help implement the totally noncoercive - but not permissive - approach.

NEW! Discipline Without Stress, Inc.- a nonprofit public charitable devoted to teaching the Discipline Without Stress Teaching Model, now being offered to low economic schools in the U.S.A.

Free books at http://www.disciplinewithoutstress.com, free In-House Staff Development at http://www.marvinmarshall.com/In_House_Package.html and, depending upon location, free personal presentations by Marv Marshall. For more information: http://www.marvinmarshall.com/in-housedetails.html

The requirements for application can be found at http://www.DisciplineWithoutStress.org



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